Team news: Preece and Buchanan back for Ealing game
Danielle Preece and Katie Buchanan are back in the starting line-up for Sunday’s televised Allianz PWR game against Ealing Trailfinders.
This represents Preece’s first start in the league this season as head coach Susie Appleby continues to juggle her squad to share game-time and keep players fresh, while also accommodating the four players who are currently featuring in the Celtic Challenge, and working with the RFU’s English qualified players (EQPs) rules.
English teams are advised to field at least 13 EQPs in each match-day squad or risk forfeiting league points.
Appleby said: “We set out on a mission to toe the line and do what the RFU wanted.
“The clubs that are really struggling are the new clubs like us, Sale, Leicester Tigers and Ealing Trailfinders because we are either three years in or brand new. You cannot create top level players overnight. I feel quite strongly that people understand this.”
Despite this, Appleby is also focussing on the opportunities it offers younger players.
She said: “Young players are getting opportunities, like Dani Preece, who is a really promising young centre. She’s in this week instead of Kanako. We all know Kanako is way more experienced, but Dani is having a shout and is starting in a big game, which is massive.”
The other good news is that winger Claudia MacDonald returns to the side after a few weeks out with concussion and hooker Cliodhna Moloney is back in the front row following a facial injury.
At the back of the pack, Maddie Feaunati gets a first league start for her last game at Sandy Park before she heads back to New Zealand for the Super Rugby Aupiki season.
Appleby added: “Maddie has been a revelation; a powerful athlete who really understands the game. Most importantly, she is a great person who has added massively to our squad. She thoroughly deserves her first start.”
On the bench, there could be Chiefs debuts for back-row Taz Bricknell and former Saracens scrum-half and rugby league player Eloise Heyward.
Opta statistics have also revealed that Exeter Chiefs have the quickest average attacking ruck speed of any side in this season’s Allianz Premiership with 2.85 seconds.
Chiefs Women also have the highest tackle success rate of any side this season with 87.6% and made more dominant tackles than any other team in the most recent round of fixtures with 16.
Lastly, among the players with 320+ Allianz Premiership minutes played this season, Chiefs duo Alex Tessier and Brooke Bradley have assisted more tries per 80 minutes than any other players.
Sunday’s game (KO 12:30) is free to season ticket holders, while tickets are just £11 for adults and £5.50 for children 16 and under in the East Terrace and seating above.
Exeter Chiefs Women
15 Merryn Doidge (vc)
14 Katie Buchanan
13 Danielle Preece
12 Gabby Cantorna
11 Claudia MacDonald
10 Alex Tessier
9 Brooke Bradley
1 Hope Rogers
2 Cliodhna Moloney
3 Lizzie Hanlon
4 Nichola Fryday
5 Poppy Leitch (c)
6 Maddie Feaunati
7 Maisy Allen
8 Rachel Johnson
Replacements:
16 Daisy French
17 Abby Middlebrooke
18 DaLeaka Menin
19 Harriet Millar-Mills
20 Ebony Jefferies
21 Taz Bricknell
22 Eloise Hayward
23 Sophie Langford